Leather or sweat-band for straw hats.



P. D. BERNARD.

LEATHER 0R SWEAT BAND FOR STRAW HATS.

APPLICATION FILED- MAR. 15, 1916.

1 ,1 92,375. Patented July 25, 1916.

WITNESS "WE/V70 WWL/NQMMKL A TTOR/VEY PAUL D BERNARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LEATHER OR SWEAT-BAND FOR STRAW HATS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL D. BERNARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city ofNew York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New' York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leather or Sweat-Bands for Straw Hats, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the manufacture of straw hats, and is more particularly concerned with the leathers or sweat bands thereof. Heretofore such leathers have been cut straight, and, though sprung in,'have not been substantially more conforming to the head than the rigid character of the hat would permit; consequently it has been diificultto obtain a good fit, and thehat, bearing upon the head only at certain points and there with a substantially unyielding pressure, has displayed a disagreeable tendency to ride up.

In accordance with this invention the hat proper is made oversize, and the leather is cut on a curve and united to the hat in such manner as to form a pronounced basal bevel, whereby substantially the entirety of the leather stands away from the hat and is enabled to conform itself to the head, which is clasped with a uniformly distributed cushionlike pressure, insuring a satisfactory fitand overcoming the tendency to. ride.

In the accompanying drawings illustratin the invention: Figure 1 is a view of the leather before insertion in the hat, the leather being shown spread out flat and its ends broken away because of the limitation of space; Fig. 2 isa similar view of the pad which is employed; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionthrough the hat with the leather attached, the pad being still in place; and Fig. 4 is a similar view, the pad being removed.

The straw hat proper, designated 1, may

be produced by any suitable or usual procedure, but is made over-size, that is to say, if the hat, when completed, is to fit a seven head and to be sold as a number seven hat, its straw Wlll be made of a size which would Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed March 15,1916. Serial No. 84,270.

ordinarily be a seven and an eighth. The

leather band 9, instead of being cut straight, as usual, is curved, its base 3 being curved out, and its upper edge 4 being curved in. This leather is sewed by its base to the bottom of the inside of the crown of the hat,

and a pad 5 is employed to give the leather the desired basal formation and to cause it to stand away from the straw. This pad may be made of various suitable materials, of which felt may be mentioned as an example, is of a thickness sufficient to produce the result desired, and of a length to extend substantially around the interior of the crown, though in practice its ends may be separated more or less. This pad is preferably inserted between the leather and the hat prior to the sewing of the sweat-band to the straw, though this may be varied. After or even during the sewing, the operator exerts pressure with the fingers upon the leather, straining and shaping it over the pad, so that the leather is given a permanent set at the base, as shown in. Figs. 3 and 4.,

this formation being in the nature of an abrupt bevel or curve 6, which sets the entirety of the body of the sweat-band substantially away from the interior of the crown. The pad is then removed, leaving the hat and its band possessed of the characteristics and advantages 'already set forth.

What is claimed as new is:

In the manufacture of straw hats, the steps which comprise, providing an over-size hat, providing a leather cut on a curve sub stantially throughout its length, introducing the leather and a pad into the hat, sewing' the convex basal edge of the leather to the hat, working the base of the leather over said pad so as to produce a basal bevel, and removing the pad.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of March, 1916.

PAUL D. BERNARD. WVitnesses: GRACE, H. EMBEY,

TEKLA A. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each,by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, to. c. 

